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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5O-04575

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential benefits of improving transport infrastructure in south west Scotland.

Question reference: S5F-04341

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2020

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that police call-outs for people experiencing severe mental distress have increased by up to 25% during the lockdown.

Question reference: S5W-30782

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 14 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to promote local food production following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Through the Ambition 2030 Food & Drink Industry Strategy, launched in 2017 by the First Minister, the Scottish Government has been working in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink and key sectoral trade bodies to sell more fresh, quality Scottish produce to people in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

With many food and drink businesses losing their traditional foodservice or export markets as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have supported Scotland Food & Drink to develop an online directory to help connect companies with consumers and other businesses throughout Scotland. Launched in May, the supportlocal.scot website has over 300 companies listed and it is expected that this directory will continue long term to help direct consumers and businesses to Scottish food and drink producers, wholesalers and foodservice companies.

We have also asked all supermarkets in the UK to rise to the occasion in order to use their collective consumer reach to promote Scottish and capitalise on a golden opportunity to capture public imagination around the importance of supporting local producers. We are currently engaging with retailers on ways to help the food and drink industry recover and grow with a focus on sourcing more Scottish produce and encouraging consumers to buy fresh, local produce.

The Scotland Food & Drink partnership is also developing a COVID-19 recovery plan for the sector which will include specific actions to further stimulate local sourcing. Further detail will become available on this once the plan is finalised.

Question reference: S5W-30885

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international supply chains, what action it is taking to encourage and increase the manufacturing of medical devices and PPE in Scotland, and what analysis it has carried out of (a) the potential economic impact of such an approach and (b) how this could improve national resilience.

In order to strengthen our domestic supplies of medical devices and PPE, NHS Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland have supported a wide range of Scottish businesses to increase their manufacturing output in response to Covid-19.

Well over 50 Scottish businesses have expanded or repurposed production to help meet NHS Scotland demand and bolster supply chain resilience. For example, Berry BPI on-shored production of over 100 million polythene aprons – equivalent to a full year’s supply for NHS Scotland – creating an additional 60 jobs in Greenock. We are working to preserve and create jobs, and develop resilience against future shocks including the possibility of a second wave or future pandemics.

Question reference: S5O-04502

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the contribution that the internal market makes to levels of employment in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-30793

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 10 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to promote (a) local, (b) Scottish and (c) UK sourcing in (i) central and (ii) local procurement policies.

The Scottish Government recognises small businesses as being critical to the economic health of the country. To promote opportunities for local economic development, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires public bodies to consider and act on opportunities to facilitate access to procurement for SMEs, the third sector and supported businesses. Public contracts must be advertised through the centrally-funded PCS advertising portal and we partner with other public bodies in Scotland to support the Supplier Development Programme whose aim is to help Scottish SME and third sector organisations to win work and grow their business.

The steps we are taking are having an impact. Proportionally, Scotland already spends more with SMEs than any other country in the UK. The usage figures below are the most up-to-date, having been published last year in the PCS Progress report.

Question reference: S5W-30783

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 10 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take steps to review its procurement tendering practices to ensure that ingredient origin is accounted for in local buying.

The Scottish Government take account of factors including origin, traceability, animal welfare and environmental standards in our catering contract and will continue to do so. We place an emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition and promote fresh and seasonal produce. Typically, 97% of fresh beef, 99% of fresh cream and milk and all bakery goods are Scottish.

More widely, our procurement legislation and guidance encourages other public bodies to be mindful of animal welfare and fresh and seasonal produce in their food procurement. We also support participation in the ‘Food for Life’ programme for a number of local authorities across Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-30886

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the South West Roads Network management contract is set to commence as scheduled, and what impact the COVID-19 pandemic might have on planned maintenance and other works on the routes covered by the contract.

The South West Trunk Road Network Management Contract (NMC) will commence on 16 August 2020 as planned. Amey OW Ltd will replace Scotland Transerv as Transport Scotland’s Operating Company. Amey is already fully committed to the mobilisation process to ensure a robust handover and have been progressing a package of advanced design works to ensure planned maintenance is progressed at the earliest opportunity. All maintenance works are being progressed and planned in accordance with the Covid-19 Construction Sector Recovery Plan. No significant impacts have been identified that will affect operational delivery.

Question reference: S5W-30273

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the prevalence of heart valve disease, and what action it is taking to provide access to treatment for older people with this condition to (a) support healthy ageing and (b) reduce their vulnerability to (i) COVID-19 and (ii) future epidemics and pandemics.

In 2019, The National Health Services Scotland (NHSS) National Planning Board commissioned a horizon scan for heart disease in Scotland. The purpose of the horizon scan was to develop a long term forward view (5-10 years) and advise on issues that require national planning for NHS Scotland. This included looking into the prevalence of valve disease with considerations of supporting healthy ageing and access to minimally invasive techniques.

The horizon scan recommended a draft review initiation document be prepared to describe a proposed scope and remit for a Scottish Cardiac Intervention and Structural Cardiac Intervention review. This has been prepared and will be considered by the National Planning Executive Group in July and the full NHSS National Planning Board on 21st of August 2020.

Question reference: S5W-30274

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made in the frequency of stethoscope usage during GP visits for people over 65, and what steps it is taking to resume the detection of structural heart diseases among this group in primary care settings.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the frequency of stethoscope usage during GP visits for people over 65.

We fully expect patients to be treated in line with their clinical priority. In these unprecedented times, NHS Boards are expected to schedule appointments or advise of alternative arrangements as soon as clinically appropriate, which includes arranging telephone or Near Me video consultations in primary care and hospital settings. The NHS continues to provide emergency and urgent care for all patients.

Anyone who feels that their condition is deteriorating and they need to be seen sooner than their scheduled appointment should contact their GP or clinician who will be able to provide further advice, or the NHS 24 111 service out of hours.

On 1 April, the Scottish Government published Coronavirus (COVID-19) tailored advice for those people living with chronic heart disease: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tailored-advice-for-those-who-live-with-specific-medical-conditions/ . This information is updated regularly.

For patients with chronic heart failure, more comprehensive information is available on the Scottish Heart Failure Hub website: www.heartfailurehubscotland.co.uk/covid-19/ .